Innovation, influence and business in America's medical cities.

Device firm Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. has awarded a $13.5 million grant to the University of Cincinnati and others for collaborative obesity research.The three-year grant will be used to investigate how and why gastric bypass surgery works, according to a statement from Ethicon Endo-Surgery. Gastric bypass surgery often helps patients lose weight and can also cure [...]

A research team from the University of Cincinnati has received a $2.3 million federal grant to develop a rapid diagnostic tool for detecting the influenza virus.The researchers aim to develop a library of carbohydrates that can be used to detect the presence of influenza in human samples, according to a statement from the University.The researchers [...]

The Ohio Third Frontier Commission on Wednesday approved $20 million in Wright Project grants, including more than $8 million for three biomedical projects.During their first meeting since voters approved an extension and expansion of the Ohio Third Frontier through fiscal 2015, commissioners also approved $11 million in entrepreneurial support and pre-seed investment fund grants, as [...]

Ohio will receive more than $27 million in federal stimulus money to improve its biomedical research facilities.The latest flow of a continuing stream of stimulus grants comes from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health, according to Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.The money is aimed at helping to construct, repair and [...]

The University System of Ohio’s 14 universities and consumer product giant Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) in Cincinnati have agreed to simplify the legal process of negotiating joint research projects with the intent of bringing ideas to market faster.Having a master contract to which a project’s unique terms could be added is expected to speed [...]

US Endoscopy, the endoscopy device design and manufacturing company in Mentor, has released the Entrada colonic overtube, which offers more control during colonoscopy in patients with tortuous sigmoid looping.

Lowe’s Companies Inc. looked at what it was paying for heart treatments across the country and didn’t like what it saw, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. So the home-improvement retailer went shopping, choosing the Cleveland Clinic. Could this practice become a model for health care reform?

Akron now has a biomedical district, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. With a few minor changes, city council approved legislation Monday that outlined the district — changing it from concept to reality — and made several zoning changes within the area that encompasses the city’s three downtown hospitals and the University of Akron.

Gov. Ted Strickland and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut donned their high-tech marketing hats Friday, touting the state’s leadership in biomedical and health care innovation by announcing centers of excellence at 14 universities.

Six researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center have been awarded over $4 million in federal research grants to investigate chronic diseases that commonly affect veterans.